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13 August 2018 Photo Charl Devenish
Mountain research Maloti-Drakensberg
Tucked in the foothills of the Maloti-Drakensberg Mountains is the Qwaqwa Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS), the home of the Afromontane Research Unit (ARU).

Mountains and highlands have always played an important role in the history of mankind. They produce economically essential goods and services (such as fresh water), host unique biodiversity, and offer unique recreational and tourism opportunities. Mountains are also a place for spiritual sanctuaries and are often used for journeys of self-reflection through pilgrimage.

In addition to these ‘feel good’ benefits, mountains are hazardous areas for communities and infrastructure and are vulnerable to natural disasters. Mountainous areas are also often natural borders defining geopolitical entities, but in the process splitting and marginalising communities, creating economic shadow zones and sometimes becoming highly militarised areas. 

“Southern African mountains provide enormous opportunities for holistic research as social-ecological systems, with some of the most interesting and least academically explored environments on Earth,” said Dr Vincent Clark, Director: Afromontane Research Unit (ARU) on the UFS Qwaqwa Campus

The Afromontane Research Unit
The Qwaqwa Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS) is the home of the ARU, a multidisciplinary flagship group addressing the largely under-researched mountainous landscapes of southern Africa. 

Research in the ARU is promoted around three broad themes to foster inter- and multidisciplinary discourse: (1) conservation and sustainable use of Afromontane biodiversity; (2) sustainable futures for the people of the Afromontane; and (3) living and doing business in the Afromontane –  with the intention of creating a sustainability science hub to bring the three themes into the ambit of solution-oriented transdisciplinary research, centred in the sustainable development goals and sustainability research in general. 

Continental leader
To achieve its vision of becoming a continental leader in African mountain research, the ARU is positioning itself as a mountain-knowledge generator and interchange by developing key relationships locally and internationally. The most valuable local partnership is with the South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON), with which the ARU will be sharing a Research Chair. 

The Chair will contain strong expertise in the Social Sciences to complement the existing strong Natural Science element in both the ARU and SAEON. The Sustainability Science component is being built through inter alia a mutually-reinforcing relationship with the University of Tokyo and United Nations University, Tokyo. 

The future
“In tandem with robust collaborations to achieve its goals, the ARU provides an envious capacity-building programme for its early career campus academics, postdoctoral and postgraduate students,” said Dr Clark. 

The scale of influence of the ARU is prioritised as ‘back yard first’, namely solution-oriented research that benefits Phuthaditjhaba, Qwaqwa, Golden Gate Highlands National Park and Royal Natal National Park. Thereafter, the ARU seeks to facilitate research that encourages the sustainable development of the Maloti-Drakensberg as a unique social-ecological system in Africa, and from there facilitate research in the intellectual vacuum that is the southern African mountains. With time, the ARU aims to take the intellectual lead as an Africa-based leader in African mountain research. The success of this will depend on how carefully the development of human infrastructure can be balanced with that of the myriad opportunities presented.”

With a diverse and motivated team, situated in one of the most attractive environments in Africa, the ARU is here to change the way we think about African mountains and what they mean for us all. 

News Archive

Shimlas still the only unbeaten side in 2015 Varsity
2015-03-18

The Shimlas remain the only unbeaten side in this year’s Varsity Cup rugby tournament after their bonus-point 44-24 win against the University of Cape Town Ikeys in Bloemfontein.

The home side managed a very comfortable 34-8 lead in the first half against the defending champions Ikeys. No matter how hard the Ikeys fought back, the Shimlas win was inevitable, and secured the first ever home semifinal at the UFS.

It was in the second minute that Shimlas’ Gerhard Olivier went over the try line. The Shimlas continued to press forward, and kept the game play primarily in the UCT half of the field. By the time the first Strategy Break came along, the Shimlas already had a 21-0 lead over their visitors. The Ikeys did manage one converted try before halftime, still leaving the home side with  a 34-8 lead.

After halftime, there was still no stopping the Shimlas. Even when UCT’s attempt at a comeback saw them scoring their second converted try, the point difference were still 18 points. Shortly after, Olivier scored his third try for the Shimlas. The Ikeys’ response to this was scoring a third try in their comeback effort, putting the scoreboard at 39-24 with Shimlas still in the lead after 65 minutes.

Despite Ikeys’ attempt for their bonus point try near fulltime, Shimlas’ counter-attack saw their replacement player Boela Venter cross the try line for the last  time to secure a 44-24 win for the home side.

The Shimlas will host North-West University’s Pukke side at Shimla Park in the last round of the tournament this coming Monday. For the first time since the Varsity Cup’s inauguration in 2008, the UFS side has already secured a home semifinal for the week after.

Shimlas point scorers:

Tries: Gerhard Olivier (3), Johan van der Hoogt, Danie Maartens (2), Boela Venter
Conversion kicks: Niel Marais (3)

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